Will Marks

Will Marks has been an avid bassist since picking up his first bass at age 12. More desire than talent, Will studied with Whit Browne at Berklee College of Music for several semesters prior to moving on.

A career that has taken him to 3 continents has expended his musical horizons. One accomplishment on bass has been adapting a Pat Martino tune — Baiyina — for presentation as a bass only excursion through his interpretation of the song. Nothing to write home about but fun for him and entertaining for his Brazilian wife Claudia who comprises his “audience of one”; entertaining her is a core bass-mission for Will today.

Articles by Will Marks:

Here’s a wonderful melodic treatment of “Song for My Father”, feathering Rich Appleman on acoustic bass and his son Tom on electric bass. After making his mark with the Navy Band, Rich performed in numerous pit crews, on countless jingles and with a long list of notables including Lionel Hampton, the Fringe, the Boston Pops... »

Last week, while enjoying a video from a television show featuring the duo of Ryan Madora on bass and Don Evans on guitar (see below), it reminded me of other playing situations where drummers were not present. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to hear first hand from Ryan on how playing without a drummer... »

Here is a rare clip featuring Jack Casady‘s legendary bass Alembic 001 (dubbed “Mission Control”) in action live with Hot Tuna in 1972 as they wind out on “Come Back Baby”. The video quality is not so good, but there are some very nice shots of the bass that started it all when it comes... »

Here’s a tasty treat – a bass and guitar duet of Steve Swallow’s “Falling Grace” by bassist Steve LaSpina and guitarist Chris Champion. What intonation and tone! LaSpina has toured and recorded with a virtual who’s who of jazz royalty including saxophonists Benny Carter, Stan Getz and Phil Woods, vocalists Joe Williams and Mark Murphy,... »

Here’s a live rendition of the tune “Vuelta Abajo”, which was featured on the 1970 Tony Williams Lifetime LP Turn It Over. This is a Tony Williams composition. Here we see Jack Bruce again playing bass on the tune forty years later with a different lineup. This show is on the road and promises to... »

Dig this! Slam Stewart was one of the most if not the most recorded jazz bassists in the 40s, known for his bowing and singing along with his impeccable bass lines. Seeing him live was a treat nobody could forget. Here he is live with the Benny Goodman Quartet. »

When word reached me that Harry Shapiro’s just released biography on Jack Bruce was available I raced to the bookstore. What a satisfying read; not the typical star worshipping pabulum one might expect in a biography focused on the life of a man who changed the face of rock and electric bass playing 40 odd... »